More Than Meets the Eye
by The Renowned Obscurity
Summary: AU. "I...need your help. My boyfriend - Wallabee Beetles - has been framed." What at first appears to be a simple case to Hoagie Gilligan quickly turns out to be a lot more complex than he originally thought. With a whole lot of suspects, raging hormones, and some surprising twists, what's teenage boy detective to do? 2/5, 3/4
1. Start

**Hey look, a new face in the KND fandom! What's funny is that KND is the first fandom I ever wrote fanfiction for ever. This was years ago though, and they were horrible and thus never published. But after KND's recent return to TV, I've been inspired to write a fic again! **

**It's AU-ish. As in, Hoagie will reference KND stuff, but has no memory of being apart of Sector V. fff don't question my logic. The story is told from detective!Hoagie's POV, who I love a lot. Although I probably butchered him, and others. I haven't written KND fanfiction in so long, so I apologize for my rustiness and potential OOCness. But I'm gonna be a good person and _not_ pull the "oh but they're older so they're different" excuse. But I'm writing this for fun really, so I wouldn't take anything too seriously. I just wanted a reason to write detective!Hoagie, and some Hoagie/Abby lovin'. There's also Kuki/Wally, Nigel/Rachel, and some other randomness.**

…**I talk too much. **

**Disclaimer: Codename: Kids Next Door belongs to the oh so brilliant Mr. Warburton. …Who I are not.

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**Start**

It's a crazy world out there.

At least, that's what I used to think. Before I grew up. Before I realized that not all teenagers and adults in the world were evil tyrants solely bent on making the lives of kids miserable.

Yeah, those were the good ol' days. Having something to fight for, having some sort of new mystery to solve.

Believe it or not, being a junior detective (although I prefer to exclude the "junior" part) wasn't as cool in high school as it was in elementary school.

No one came to me, hoping I could figure out who was gunning down kids with pink-eye-filled water balloons. Or find out who stole their favorite Rainbow Monkey eraser.

No, instead kids avoided my private eye office in the 2nd floor supply closet like it was infected with the plague. Regardless, my "office" was where I spent my free period in school, always (futilely) hoping that someone, anyone, would waltz through my door with a case for me to solve.

Unfortunately, this made most of my fellow peers think I was just a nerdy loner, which wasn't _entirely _true. Nerdy, perhaps, but I chose to define myself and my hobbies in a different manner. And I definitely wasn't a loner. Actually, I could be rather social…to those who were willing to interact with me.

Those people generally consisted of my two best friends, Bartie Stork and Anthony Douglas. Bartie and I had been close for a while now, although we hung out less and less after he started dating Virginia Sims… And as for Anthony… Well sometimes he got himself caught up in a bit too much trouble that I didn't always want to deal with. He wasn't really a bad guy though; he just made stupid decisions. I was beginning to think that spending my free period with him would be better than just sitting in the supply closet alone.

Sighing, I glanced up at the clock I had installed, leaning forward out of my previously relaxed position. It was 1:25, which meant my free period was almost over. Then it was off to math class for me. Good thing I actually enjoyed the subject, unlike the boring English lectures I was often forced to sit through.

I started to rise out of my raggedly rolling chair, when the door to the clos– I mean my office – burst open. At first I assumed it was some freshman, trying to escape from the bullies that ran rampant in our school. But boy, was I surprised to see who it was.

"You're Hoagie Gilligan, right? The private detective?" the girl asked, twirling a lock of black hair between her fingers, and looking rather frantic.

I winked. "The one and only."

"I…need your help. My boyfriend – Wallabee Beetles – has been framed."

And suddenly, things got interesting. _The _Kuki Sanban, popular co-captain of our school's cheer squad and girlfriend of our football star, was coming to _me _for help?

Yet, at the time, I had no clue how interesting things were going to get. Pretty, let me tell you that, so I suggest you stick around for the tale. Because with Kuki's request, high school was about to become much less dull.

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**Short prologue is short. But then again, not many of the chapters will be long; I'm too lazy for that, and then I end up getting bogged down by the length.**

**Oh, and Anthony Douglas is my made up name for Numbuh 42. And Bartie Stork is Numbuh 35 and Viriginia Sims is Numbuh 23 for those who don't know/remember.**

**A review or two would be nice, but it's not really a big deal. Next chapter will be up sooner or later!**

**~TRO**


	2. Discord

**Oh wow, people actually reviewed! Thank you guys~**

**And Laurie43 – No, Hoagie does not remember Kuki from the KND. None of them remember each other :(**

**Anyway, I don't like this chapter all that much… Oh, the clichés and general badness. But it's necessary for introducing more characters and such. ...Potential suspects? Who knows?  
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**Disclaimer - Don't own it. That's not gonna change.  
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**Discord**

Flashback to a few days earlier. Last Friday to be exact.

The Junior class of McClintock High School was having our monthly class meeting, this time to discuss raising money for prom in the spring.

Class council president Nigel Uno stood at the podium onstage in the auditorium, addressing the students in his usual manner – like each trivial thing was a matter of grave importance, like he was a beacon of inspiration for all of us. Or something.

Sure, his motivational speech tactics may be worked when we were younger, but now, they simply lacked the same effect. Instead, kids chose to ignore him, napping in their seats, or talking to their friends around them. No one was ever interested in fundraising anyway though.

Still, Nigel probably deserved more respect than he received, although sometimes I wondered how he managed to win the presidential position, especially when he ran against Muffy Jenkins (who now held the position of secretary _and _treasure, albeit reluctantly). He was an excellent leader, no doubt about that, with greater determination and work ethic than most kids in the school. But he could be a bit neurotic at times, and often lacked a level head...or common sense…

I still liked him though, despite the fact that we didn't talk much. Anymore.

Back in the day though, we were the best of friends. But you know what time can do to relationships…

"So anyone have any other ideas on how we can fundraise for prom?" Nigel asked, breaking me out of my reverie. And to think I was getting read to take a much-needed nap…

"Yeah I have one!" I glanced over to a couple of rows down, at a burly black haired boy who had risen to his feet - Patton Drilovsky, the second best player on the football team. He had a loud mouth, and constantly acted as though he was in charge. He was only co-captain of the team though... "How about we charge people to watch the football players beat up freshman?!"

Cheers and roars of approval erupted from around him, mostly from his fellow team mates.

"The class of 2011 rules!"

This further disruption came from Wallabee Beetles, whose tough attitude made up for his rather short stature. He held the title of star of our schools football team, and was even dating the pretty and popular Kuki Sanban. Lucky guy, you might think, but he wasn't exactly blessed in the brains department.

More cheers followed Wallabee's shout, and then a chant of "'11! '11!". I never understood the necessity of this ritual, but the classes of our school seemed to enjoy chanting their graduation year at every opportunity.

My attention was redirected at Nigel onstage, who was clenching the sides of the podium so hard, his knuckles were turning a bright white. He looked as though he was mumbling something, but it was inaudible over the noise of the crowd.

"Could everyone just calm down?" I managed to hear Nigel say. "Please, quiet down!"

"…You heard the man! Be quiet!!"

Oh right, how could I forget to mention her...? Rachel T. McKenzie, vice president of class council, and Nigel's girlfriend. Everything he lacked, she made up for it. I'm almost 100% sure Rachel was the only reason class council functioned, and Nigel's head hadn't exploded yet.

Rachel's command was enough to finally make everyone shut up, something I was incredibly grateful for. But oh, what I would give to be reading the newest issue of the Yipper comic instead…

Nigel cleared his throat before speaking again. "Thank you. And while your school spirit is appreciated, I was hoping we could come up with a less…barbaric way of raising money."

At this, Patton and Wallabee began to "boo" much to Nigel's annoyance. And just like before, the whole class was riled up, yelling things at Nigel onstage…including many cracks about his baldness. And people thought _I _was immature! Even after I tried…and failed…to cut back on all the puns I was known for.

Just then, our class sponsor, Ms. Thompson, ripped the microphone from Nigel's hand. "That is _enough_! Obviously, none of you care about having prom with the way you have been conducting yourselves! Now, back to class! Maybe we can try this again when you all grow up a bit."

Many students groaned – as horrible as the meeting was, class was bound to be worse. Me, I didn't care either way. We only had one more class to endure anyway. I took one last look at the stage; Nigel had long-since disappeared, out of what I assumed to be immense frustration, leaving only Rachel and Muffy to watch the procession of students out of the auditorium. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I joined the rest of my peers, becoming yet another sheep in the herd.

As I rounded the corner heading to my physics class, I heard gruff voices resounding through the hall, and a noise that could only be described as the "body of a nerd slamming into lockers".

I recognized the voices as Wallabee, Patton, and their other football cronies. It turned out they were up to their usual beat down; this time the victim was Herbert Hawking, and he far surpassed the stereotype of your typical "nerd".

There were those types like me (for lack of a better example) who were considered nerdy due to their love of "dorky" hobbies, like collectable card games. And then there were those like Herbert. His brand of nerdiness simply couldn't be put in to words…

I peeked around the corner, watching as the boys laughed at Herbert's crumpled form on the ground.

"C'mon nerd, why don't you get up?" Patton taunted.

"Well technically in my physical condition, as my tibia and fibula seem to be disconnected from my talus, it would be impossible-"

Herbert's rambling was swiftly cut off by another attack from one of the football players. I felt terrible, just standing there being a spectator, but what could I do? Those sort of incidents happened all the time. And after all, I was an (amateur) detective, not a crime fighting superhero.

"C'mon mates, this is gettin' borin'. We can find some fresh meat afta school."

I was surprised when Wallabee spoke, calling off the assault. But then again, he didn't seem like he was the one running the show, for once. Perhaps there's a heart somewhere in that tough guy exterior…

The team grunted, seeming upset their fun was over, but still turned to go their separate ways, leaving Herbert to fend for himself. I was almost tempted to go see if he was okay… But that's when I heard _her _voice.

"Herbie?! Herbie, where are you?!"

I didn't bother to stick around. Not when the monster known as Lizzie Devine was on a rampage. But her tale can be saved for a later date.

After all, I had physics class to attend! Which, while I thoroughly enjoyed the subject, didn't make for very interesting story-telling material.

So let's flash-forward, shall we?

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**MS Word doesn't like Hoagie's constant use of fragments. D:**

**But yeah, still don't like this chapter. It saddens me, and just bugs me for whatever reason. Maybe 'cuz the endings rushed? I dunno. I told myself I wouldn't get stressed over this, and now look at me! :S  
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**Oh well, the next few chapters are more enjoyable in my opinion. So, care to review?**

**Til next time,**

**TRO**


	3. Basics

**Yeah, I left ya'll hangin' about the actual crime that took place. But don't worry, you find out now. Another short chapter, but it's just setting the stage, you know?  
And yep, Herbert/Herbie is Numbuh 65.3, the communications officer guy who appeared in OP B.R.I.E.F., for those who asked. **

**Once again, a big thank you goes out to those who reviewed/faved/alerted/whatever! :D  


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**Basics**

_So let's fast-forward, shall we?_

…To the moment everything began. When Kuki Sanban burst through my office door, frantic and practically in tears.

"I…need your help. My boyfriend – Wallabee Beetles – has been framed!"

Her palms were planted firmly on my desk, like she was trying to stop herself from collapsing. Sleek black hair, which I couldn't help but notice was usually perfect, looked frazzled and out of place. This was not the Kuki Sanban I was used to seeing, leading the cheerleaders in their dance routines. This had to be serious.

I leaned forward in my chair, so that my eyes met hers. She hadn't even truly explained the situation yet, but I knew there was no way I could refuse this case. My chance at something interesting? Well it had finally arrived.

"Why don't you take a seat?" I said, pointing to the chair on the opposite side of my desk. "Relax a bit. Then we can get down to business."

She seemed hesitant, but still nodded and sat down. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, trying to steady her nerves.

"…So you ready to talk?"

Kuki nodded once more. "I'm sorry for just bursting in here. But I didn't know who else to turn to."

"Don't worry about it sweetheart," I replied. Was I a smooth-talking detective or what? "…Now, what exactly happened?"

"Well Wally was framed…for vandalism!" Kuki appeared to be on the brink of hysteria again, but I was just going to have to deal with it. She was far from being able to be comforted, and quite frankly, it wasn't apart of my job description.

"Vandalism, eh?" This sort of thing happened a lot, mostly in bathroom stalls. It usually wasn't considered that serious either… But after an incident my freshman year, the school administration had been cracking down on the misdemeanor. "…You got details? Where is it, what did it say, you know?"

"It's…behind the school, near the portables. On the large brick wall back there. The message wasn't even that bad! All it said was, 'Wally wuz here!'. I…I really don't see how that's enough to put him at risk to be kicked off the football team!"

...You see, Kuki didn't transfer to our school until sophomore year. So she obviously wasn't aware of the events that went down freshman year that made vandalism one of the most serious crimes at our school.

There was a string of rash vandalism incidents that broke out all over the school that year. The messages were vulgar and generally inappropriate, and often directed at teachers and other students. The culprit…was never caught. I wasn't apart of the force at the time (although I technically wasn't now either; this private eye business was an underground operation) so I don't know the full details of the case. All I know if that from that point on, no matter the message, vandalism was a grave offense. I explained this situation to Kuki, who merely frowned.

"It's just not fair…"

"I know it isn't. But that's why I'm here! Now is there any incriminating evidence against him? Or are the accusations based solely on the fact that it's _his _name on the wall?"

"…They found used cans of spray paint in his locker," Kuki replied, lower lip trembling. "But I _know _they're not his. Someone planted them!"

Our lockers weren't the easiest to break in to…but someone like Wallabee could have easily blabbed his combination to someone, not thinking twice about it. I scratched my chin as Kuki gazed at me expectantly. It had been so long since I had been on a case; I found it difficult to get into gear. Normally I would have been halfway to catching the culprit by that point, but hey, I was rusty. Can't blame me for that. "Er, is there any other information you think may be pertinent to the case? Any ideas of who would want to frame the victim?"

Kuki shook her head. "No, not at all… Wally was so popular and well-liked by a lot of kids. I don't know who would want to do that to him!" …That showed how much she knew about her boyfriend's "extracurricular activities". "The only other thing I know is that this happened over the weekend… But since they don't know exactly when yet, Wally doesn't have a strong alibi!"

Investigating this thing might not be as simple as I thought. If it occurred over the weekend, that meant fewer potential witnesses...and so many more suspects. "Look toots… I'll take a look around at the scene of the crime, try to gather some clues, and ask around to see if anyone else has any helpful information. I should have a solid list of suspects after a bit of work… I'll let you know if I come across any leads, okay? Now you should get back to class, and take it easy. No need to worry too much; master detective Hoagie P. Gilligan is on the case! And I _always _get my perp."

Kuki smiled at me slightly, wiping a few tears on the back of her hand. "Thank you, so much. You don't realize how much this means to me…and to Wally."

"Just doin' my job," I replied, tipping my hat.

As she exited my office, I stood up and grabbed a manila folder out of the nearby filing cabinet. A case folder, and my first this school year. I had to make this a good one. I still needed a clever name for the case though, but I would think about it more later. After filing out the basic details I received from Kuki, I returned the folder to the cabinet.

The clock read 1:45 and I had already missed a good chunk of class.

I couldn't believe I was saying this, but math could wait. First thing was first – check out the scene of the crime.

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**And there you have it folks. I hope you didn't expect the crime to be a bit more serious; after all, I'm just trying to have a little fun. :P …As will be demonstrated by the next chapter, which I can't wait to get up. Our favorite hat-wearing, third-person-speaking cool chick finally appears!**

**Expect the next update soon! 'Cuz massive blizzard = a ton of days off of school = more time to write! **


	4. Encounters

**I usually find myself disliking the things I write, but I can't say the same for this chapter, surprisingly. I really enjoyed writing it, and actually liked the way it turned out. Except for some weird wording here and there, but I'm trying to get that worked out. But I hope you enjoy it too~ Also, please pardon Hoagie's gawking over Abby, but he's a teenage boy, and she's a babe. What else would you expect? xD**

**And a big thank you those who are reading/reviewing; you guys rock!

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**Encounters**

"Hall pass?!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Of all the people to catch me…

"You heard me boy! Where's your hall pass?!"

Every time she spoke I cringed, and maybe even died a little on the inside. I've said it before and I'll say it again: her voice sounded like a thousand violins…being played by a monkey. There was really no other way to describe it.

…Fanny Fulbright.

Head of the Hall Monitor Squad, and resident misandrist psycho. Trust me when I say, this is not a woman you would want to run in to in a dark alley. Or anywhere for that matter.

"Sorry toots, don't have one. I'm on official business, you know?"

Believe it or not, she didn't rage and tackle me to the ground as soon as I called her "toots". It must have been my lucky day.

"Playing detective again, Gilligan?" she spat, placing a hand on her hip.

I stepped forward to meet her, which, on reflection, probably wasn't the smartest move. "I don't _play_," I replied, narrowing my eyes. "Well except for when I play Yipper Card Squadron with Bartie an-"

"Shut up!" Fanny lunged toward me, grabbing me roughly by the tie. It was a nice tie too. "You think I care about your _stupid _card games? Now you're coming with me!" But instead of hauling me off, she stopped immediately, something catching her attention. I attempted to crane my neck to see what could possibly make her look so horrified. It turned out, that when she practically attacked me, her notebook flew out of her hand…along with what appeared to be a photograph.

I tried to wriggle out of her grasp to get a better look. If I wasn't mistaken, it was a picture of a blond teenager who looked suspiciously like...Wallabee Beetles. And was that…a heart?

Before I could reach down to grab the photo, Fanny shoved me away with so much force that I slammed hard against the lockers.

"Don't touch that!" she screeched.

Jeez. No one ever taught her about using your "inside voice". Or that violence is never the answer. I stood up, rubbing my sore bottom.

Fanny was clutching the notebook – and the photo – tightly to her chest, blushing furiously. Whether it was from embarrassment or fury I couldn't tell. But the color of her cheeks did compliment her hair nicely.

"Just go!" she said finally. "Before I change my mind and write you up!"

I glared at her before stalking off. "Someone needs a boyfriend," I muttered.

"What did you say?!"

"N-nothing! Nothing, I swear!"

Sensing her growing rage behind me, I got outta there. Fast.

X

Fortunately, I had no more run-ins with hall monitors or other authority figures on my way outside. I was hoping the crime scene would be deserted as well, but, being the lucky guy I am, it wasn't (note that I am _not _being sarcastic by saying that; I was very lucky indeed).

Casually standing against the victimized wall, lollipop in mouth, was the gorgeous Abigail Lincoln.

My detective instincts should have kicked in, alerting me to the old adage that "the perpetrator always returns to the scene of the crime". Instead, my teenage boy instincts kicked in faster, and I only found myself thinking, "Man, is she a babe or what?"

Coffee-colored skin and dark, wavy hair hiding underneath a peculiar red hat; her trademark. Her black shorts were almost invisible beneath her long blue shirt, and were probably short enough to violate the dress code, but you wouldn't see me reporting her for that.

Not only was she beautiful, but he was incredibly intelligent too, currently holding the position of number one in our class, grade-wise. We shared a few upper-level classes, but rarely talked. Then again, _she _rarely talked, but still managed to ooze this overwhelming "coolness".

Yeah, Abigail Lincoln had it all.

…Which is probably why I noticed her before I noticed the very thing I came to investigate – the glaring red graffiti scrawled across the brick wall.

She hadn't noticed me yet, so I took those precious seconds to compose myself. I had to remember my purpose, and not get distracted, as hard as that might be.

Taking a few steps forward, I finally gathered the courage to speak. "Miss Honor Roll Student, cutting class?"

Maybe playing the tough-guy detective wasn't the best idea around her, but since I came to be known as a jokester in many of our classes, I needed someway to let her know that I meant business.

Abigail glanced up from under the brim of her hat, slowly pulling the lollipop out of her mouth. …Cherry-flavored.

She looked me over twice, and I could feel myself beginning to sweat under her gaze. "Abby could say the same for you, Mr. Detective."

Ah, I appear to have neglected to mention her habit of speaking in the third person. It was a quirk that one might usually find annoying, but somehow Abby managed to pull it off.

"I just so happen to be investigating an official case, thank you. And you just so happen to be leaning against some valuable evidence."

Abby chuckled to herself. "You mean this?" She jerked her thumb toward the message on the wall. "Wally obviously didn't write it."

Her assertion took me slightly by surprise. I walked closer to the wall, which I hadn't gotten the chance to inspect before then.

She was right though; there was something about it that didn't quite fit Wallabee. First, it was entirely too neat. I've seen his handwriting before, and it's barely legible chicken-scratch. You think the administration would have checked this fact before threatening to throw him off the football team. But I guess for them, some paint cans in his locker which could have easily been planted were evidence enough. Unfortunately, the intuition that the execution of the crime "just didn't fit him", wasn't enough to earn Wallabee a "get out of jail free" card.

Still, there might have been something I was overlooking, something Abigail noticed that I didn't. I looked at her questioningly, trying my best to ignore the lollipop stick dangling from her red lips. _Focus Gilligan, focus. _

"So, what made _you _reach that conclusion?"

"We're talkin' 'bout a kid who can't spell worth a damn. I doubt he would've used the correct form of 'here', let alone spell his own name right!"

This…was very true. With his brain, I always wondered how Wallabee managed to pass each grade and keep his position on the team.

Well whoever did it went through the trouble of misspelling "was", but that was common in these sort of messages. Still, the lack of spelling errors wasn't enough to go on (maybe he was having a smart day), but it was a start.

I got even closer to the wall, scrutinizing the paint. It was the cheap stuff, as it was already chipping and fading in some places. From the look of it, I doubted this was done yesterday, as the paint would have looked fresher. I could also rule out Friday after school, because Wallabee was at football practice… So that narrowed it down to Friday night, and all of Saturday. …Which wasn't as narrow of a time window as I would have liked, but I had only just started investigated, so it was to be expected.

Glancing up at the rest of the wall, something caught my eye. A security camera! I don't know why I didn't think of that earlier! Although, (legally) getting my hands on the security tapes was bound to be difficult, but it was a detail I would have to deal with later. Still, taking a look at the film from over the weekend might be the only way to figure out when exactly the vandalism occurred...and who exactly committed the crime.

I turned back to Abby, who seemed to have lost interest in my investigation. It wouldn't hurt to ask her a few questions though. …And no, I was not just making excuses to stay with her longer.

"I think it's safe to assume this is a favorite hang out spot of yours, am I correct?" I said. "Notice any suspicious characters hanging around lately?"

"Boy, you really think Abby keeps tabs on everyone who comes by here? I'm only here 6th period, and sometimes lunch. And all those times, Abby is all by her lonesome."

I considered inviting myself to join her sometime, but I shook that thought away to focus on the task at hand. "Well there's no need to cop an attitude. I was just asking," I mumbled. "You should actually be grateful I'm not regarding you as a suspect! Since you're at the scene of the crime and all."

"Ahaha! Don't kid yourself. It's clear that this is a motive-based crime. And that's somethin' Abby ain't got – a motive."

Once again, she was right, as much as I hated to admit it. She was upstaging me at my own game! …But part of me liked it, having a challenge. It pushed me to want to do my best in this case, and maybe even impress her. Still, Abby made me realize; I should probably start asking around more and trying to gather a list of suspects, and their motives. Who would want Wallabee off the team? Or just revenge on him in general...?

I gazed at Abby, thinking hard. I was picturing something in my mind, something unlikely and ridiculous. But I thought, it wouldn't hurt to ask this impossible something, would it?

"You know Abigail," I said finally. "You got a good head on your shoulders. I think you have all the right _assets _to be my partner on this case." …I _swear _that wasn't a subtle pun. And I _swear _I wasn't checking her out whilst saying this. "So Abigail, what do you say?" Just from her deductions today, I knew she could be a valuable addition to this case, even if I usually did work alone.

She looked at me incredulously. "Abby says yo crazy. Only in your dreams, baby."

Okay, so maybe it did hurt to ask. Hurt my pride, that is. But I couldn't let her know her rejection got to me.

"Suit yourself," I replied. Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of yet another school day. "I'll be seein' ya around, babe. And if you ever have any trouble, you know who to call." I winked, grinning widely.

As I turned to leave, I saw Abby sigh and shake her head. She would come around eventually; no woman could resist the Gilligan charm.

…At least, that's what I told myself.

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**Ahaha, I just had to end this chapter on a silly note. Some more serious business investigation-y stuffs (yes, I am aware I have a way with words) coming next chapter~ Which /should/ be up in a day or so, but I wouldn't take my word for it.**

**And hooray for having school off of school for the rest of the week!**

**Drop a review if you so desire; it would make TRO quite the happy camper though. :D**


	5. Research

**So I like how I feel guilty about not updating this fic for like a week when there's others I haven't touched in a year… Haha.**

**Anyway. This chapter…meh. But you can't exactly progress in a case without talking to people first, even if it isn't the most exciting thing in the world… :S I think it's lacking fun Hoagie internal monologues.  
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**Also, oh ChamMcDoodle, you be trollin' me man. **

**All my other reviewers are very lovely people though, and they get my many thanks. And cookies!

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**Research, Part 1  
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After the excitement of yesterday, it was no surprise that today was exceptionally…mundane. I really only had one (two if I was lucky) suspects, but not much else to go on.

My investigation notebook in front of me, I pretended to take notes in my world history class. But, in reality, I was writing down everything I knew about my current suspect – Herbert Hawking.

"Psst, Hoagie."

My thoughts were interrupted by a sharp whisper. It was coming from Anthony, who was sitting beside me. I ignored him though, knowing he could only mean trouble.

"Hoagie," he said again, only this time louder and accompanied by a paper ball aimed at my head.

"What?" I hissed back, not making any attempt to disguise my annoyance.

"…Whacha doin'?"

I sighed. "Detective stuff."

"Cool! Wanna let me in on it?"

"Mr. Adams! Mr. Gilligan!" Ms. Thompson's stern voice cut across the classroom, and we both froze. "Care to share what you're discussing with the class?"

"No, Ms. Thompson. We're sorry…," we replied simultaneously, looking down at our desks in shame.

"Good. Now not one more peep, or the two of you will be staying with me after class!"

I nodded and shot a glance at Anthony. He only shrugged apologetically, so I turned my attention back to my investigation notes.

Herbert Hawking… He had been a victim of Wallabee's bullying since…about 6th grade. He doesn't seem like he would have the guts to pull it off, but he sure was capable in all other aspects…

My musings were once again interrupted by the school's bell; it was lunch time aka my favorite time of the day.

"Let's get a move on Hoagie! You know it's chocolate pudding day!" said Anthony from beside me.

That's right! I hastily packed up my things and sped toward the cafeteria with Anthony. Not even a blockade of varsity football players could keep me from getting some of that pudding. And, if I got to the lunchroom early, I might actually have a chance to talk to Herbert…before _it _got to him.

Grabbing two bowls of pudding for good measure, I began walking toward my usual lunch table, Anthony following behind me.

That's when I spotted him – Herbert, sitting alone in the corner of the cafeteria. He looked like he was trying to keep a low profile. Feeling guilty perhaps? Or maybe he knew someone was looking for him…

"Hey Anthony, mind if we sit over there today?" I gestured to Herbert's table.

"But Hoagie, Angelie is over there!" Angelie was the girl Anthony had been crushing on for a while now, but lacked the courage to ask her out. They were friends, but she was still a bit out of his league. "Plus," he added, "Herbert's an even bigger nerd than me!"

"Well then go sit with your _girlfriend_," I told him, fighting back the urge to tease him further. "I have investigation business to take care of."

At this, Anthony perked up. He always wanted in on my investigations it seemed, even after I repeatedly told him I work alone (barring Abigail Lincoln; she could work with me any time).

I plopped down at the table across from a startled Herbert; Anthony slid in next to him.

"Oh, h-hey Hoagie," he greeted shakily. "You, uh, haven't seen _her _around you, have you?"

"Nope." He breathed a sigh of relief. "But don't think you're in the clear yet. You have me to deal with instead."

"Yeah, and me too!" Anthony interjected. I shot him a look and he immediately turned his attention back to his French fries.

"So Herbert…I'm sure you've heard about the situation involving Wallabee Beetles?"

While Herbert was…socially inept, I was sure that _everyone _had heard the news, regardless of social standing.

He seemed taken aback for a moment, but regained his composure. "Yes, I am aware of this. Serves that bully right in my opinion. While it has absolutely no scientific basis, I do believe karma is at work here…"

"Sounds like someone's happy this happened. Are you sure _you _weren't involved?" I leaned across the table, staring Herbert straight in the eye. He nearly choked on his milk.

"Me? I would never besmirch my impeccable record for behavior! …And you can't just go around spouting baseless conjectures with solid evidence!" Herbert was definitely flustered, and yet did not seem as nervous as I expected him to be, even under my piercing gaze.

"You currently have the strongest motivation – revenge! For all those times Wallabee shoved you in a locker, or gave you a swirly! And you and I both know you could have easily figured out his locker combination with a complex algorithm!"

…I stopped myself; I was starting to get too carried away. Herbert, as much as I hated to admit it, was right. I didn't have enough evidence to pin this guy, at least not now. I guess I was just hoping to grill a confession out of him, and be done with it…

"Herbie!!"

The shriek resonated across the cafeteria, and everyone froze. Well everyone except Herbert, who squealed and drove under the table.

"Herbie, where are you?!"

All eyes turned to the cause of the disruption – Lizzie Devine.

Lizzie, much like Fanny Fulbright, was not a pleasant person to be around. Loud, bossy, and generally overbearing, you had to feel _some _sympathy for the poor sap dating her (although why anyone would is beyond me). The poor sap this time happened to be Herbert Hawking.

Lizzie actually dated Nigel Uno for the longest time, before dumping him, claiming he focused more on his work instead of her. I'm sure that break up caused a great weight to be lifted off his shoulders… Despite the fact that Lizzie was the dumper, I could tell that she was jealous of Nigel's relationship with Rachel, and Herbert was only there to fill his place.

The redhead called out Herbert's name once more, to which Anthony responded by waving his hands and pointing at Herbert's hiding spot. She stormed over to our table, and I braced for the worst.

"Oh Herbie, there you are! I hope you weren't trying to hide from me!"

Herbert hesitantly reemerged from beneath the table, bumping his head in the process. "N-no, of course n-not sweetie! I just…dropped a pencil!"

"Well whatever. Let's get away from these losers and have a romantic lunch together over…there!" Lizzie pointed to a table of mostly freshman, who immediately scattered, leaving the table unoccupied.

"Y-yes dear." Herbert nodded and stood up, following her to the newly vacated table.

"Man, I would hate to be him."

"My thoughts exactly." I looked down at my two pudding cups, suddenly not feeling very hungry.

My current progress with this case left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn't rule out Herbert yet, but I didn't know how much information I could get out of him. But with this investigation, the amount of physical evidence was limited… I was pretty much forced into relying solely on verbal reports from witnesses and suspects.

"…So, are you gonna eat that?" Anthony questioned, referring to my untouched lunch.

"Take it," I said, pushing the tray toward him. "I need to think."

"I always thought you thought better on a full stomach," he commented between mouthfuls of my lunch. I only shrugged.

There was something that had been nagging at me, much like Lizzie nagged at Herbert.

It was my only other lead… That photograph that Fanny Fulbright dropped.

There was no doubt in my mind that it was of Wallabee Beetles. …But why would it be in Fanny's possession? While it may or may not have been pertinent to the case, it wouldn't have hurt to look more in to it… How to go about this though was my issue. Asking Fanny directly was out of the question, not if I wanted to continue living.

But I wasn't sure who I could possibly go to about it… Fanny didn't have many friends (I wonder why) and I doubt she would spill to just anybody…

"I wonder where Bartie and Virginia are…"

I hadn't realized they weren't in the cafeteria until Anthony mentioned it. Which was peculiar, as we all usually ate lunch together…

"Wait a minute…" I pondered aloud. "Virginia might know!" I slammed my hands on the table, standing up dramatically.

"Virginia would know what?" Anthony asked, mouth full.

"More investigation stuff. And I need to find her, ASAP."

It had taken me a second to remember, but Virginia was probably the closest thing Fanny had to a friend. I remember the two of them having sleepovers together (although it always seemed reluctant on Virginia's part…) Out of everyone in the school though, she was most likely to know the story behind Fanny's photo. And even if I came up with nothing, it was still worth a shot…

"Hoagie, wait!" Anthony called, stopping me from leaving. "I have next period with her, ya know? I could tell her you need her, or whatever."

"Really? That would be awesome! Tell Virginia to meet me in my office, 5th period."

He saluted me. "Will do!"

"And, on second thought… Give me back my pudding cup."

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**Yeah, I decided to end it there… So instead of one long, boring chapter, you guys get two short, boring chapters. Woopee! And Angelie = Numbuh 78 from Op. UNCOOL (which happens to be one of my favorite episodes ever).  
Also, this chapter was proofread by a monkey! He apologies for any mistakes.  
Reviews are love~  
**

**Until next time,  
TRO**


	6. Clues

**Yoo guys.**

**I would've updated earlier but my Internet went poof and I couldn't. But it's back now!  
**

**This chapter is like…a roller coaster when it comes to quality though. :/  
Initially, the first half was supposed to be part of the last chapter and then I randomly decided that this chapter needed some spice in the form of Abby and then I changed stuff around. Yep, yep, so it's **_**slightly **_**more exciting. But only slightly. Because the part I added in is basically about a locker, lolwut.**

**Anyway, a big thanks to SuicidalToeSocks, Dinosaurs R Dead, NinjaSheik, and The Flying Red Panda for reviewing last chapter! You guys are in my BIG BOOK OF…AWESOME.

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**

**Clues**

You know what would be a cool super power?

The ability to control time. (And to fly, but that's irrelevant right now).

But if I could control time, I could make my physics class fly by, and it would be my free period. And while I love physics, the class was going by too slow for my liking, especially when I had my meeting with Virginia right after this.

"…And in order to find the electrostatic force between the two balloons, we use Coulomb's Law…" While I usually paid Mrs. Chase, my teacher, the utmost attention, today I found myself drowning out her voice.

'Come on clock, come on…'

_Riiiing!_

Hey, willing the clock with my mind actually worked! Gathering my supplies, I rushed out of the classroom.

The supply clo – I mean, my office – was just down the hallway. I quickly changed into my detective gear, throwing on my brown hat over my shaggy hair, and clipping on my green tie.

Now it was time to play the waiting game…again.

Hopefully Anthony remembered to tell Virginia to meet me here… If not, I was going to spend my free period hunting her down, which I would rather not do.

Fortunately though, it wasn't long before my office door opened slightly, Virginia standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Uh, hey, Hoagie," she said to me. "Anthony said you wanted to talk to me…?"

"He said right. Please, come in and take a seat."

Her dark eyes glanced around my office nervously; I could tell she wasn't entirely comfortable. Despite the fact that she was dating my best friend, we didn't really talk much.

"So, uh, what do you need?"

"I'll get straight to the point – you and Fanny are friends, correct? Or at least close to it?"

She glanced down at her lap, like she was unsure of how to answer the question. "Uh…sort of. I guess so, yeah."

"…Close enough that you would know if Fanny happened to have any…secret crushes?" _'Cuz that's the sort of thing girls talk about at sleepovers, right?_

Yeah, it may seem like a crazy thing to ask, and apparently Virginia though so too, as she laughed at my question.

"Fanny…liking a boy?" Her laughter faded to a nervous chuckle.

"I can see through you, Virginia," I told her, and her smile quickly faded. "I ran into Fanny the other day, literally. And she dropped something suspicious – a picture of who appeared to be Wallabee Beetles. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Her eyes widened, but she didn't seem all that surprised. In fact, a knowing smirk appeared on her face. "Yeah, it's no secret that Fanny's enamored with that boy."

"Oh really now?"  
"Yeah," Virginia continued. "She's even asked him out on a few occasions. Rejected every time though, of course."

I scratched my chin. "Well this is interesting…" It seems as though Fanny has a crush on the victim… And she's crazy, and not your normal brand of crazy either. Fanny's definitely the type of girl to take revenge on any man who breaks her heart…even if she still has feelings for him. This was the sort of crime I could realistically see Fanny committing, despite her outward adherence to the rules.

…It looked like I just gained another suspect, one with a compelling motive.

"…So, is that all you wanted to know? Because, well, I'm supposed to be in class right now."

"Yeah, that's all for now. Thanks Virginia, you've been a doll. And give my regards to Bartie." I tipped my hat as she left.

Leaning back in my chair, I started thinking hard.

…Where to go from here…?

I had plenty of speculations, ideas, and suspects… But what I needed was some solid evidence. Something to back up my claims.

The crime scene itself had produced minimal results, so where else could I look?

_'…They found used cans of spray paint in his locker…'_

Kuki's voice from yesterday flashed into my head. That was right, Wallabee's locker! Perhaps the culprit left a clue or two there… It wouldn't hurt to check.

The only problem was, while I knew where Wallabee's locker was located (it happened to be a few down from mine), I had no clue what the combination was. Oh well, there were only 64,000 possible combinations. And I had…approximately 35 minutes to do it. I had no doubts I would be able to do so.

Stealthily making my way down the stairs to the first floor, I felt like some sort of spy. Or ninja. Either way, I felt pretty cool.

I slowed my pace as I approached Wallabee's locker - #34. It would be best if I started with a logical pattern for cracking the code…

With that in mind, I began turning the dial. My first…ten or so combinations were unsuccessful. And so were the ten after that.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" I said aloud. There was no way in hell I was gonna open that locker any time soon simply using the trial and error method 'till I got it right. I may have been a lucky guy for the most part, but I wasn't _that _lucky. It looked like it was time to approach this situation differently…

Fishing around in the front pocket of my khaki pants, I managed to find my trusty paper clip. A good detective always carries one on his person, you know?

Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty skillful when it comes to working with my hands, and am able to invent and build many things. So it wasn't hard to fashion the paper clip into a handy lock-picking device. Why I didn't think of it sooner, I don't know.

I inserted the makeshift lock-picker into the key hole of the dial and began to wriggle it around, hoping to hear that tell-tale click.

"C'mon, open, open," I urged, jimmying the paper clip around more. I was getting close, I could feel it, and then…

The paper clip snapped. As did my patience.

"Crap! You dumb think!" I kicked the locker out of frustration. …Stupid mistake.

The pain shot through my toe immediately. "Owwie, oww!" I exclaimed, hopping around on one foot. I leaned heavily against Wallabee's locker, massaging my sore foot.

"Havin' some trouble there, Mr. Detective?"

As I set my gaze upon the beautiful Abigail Lincoln, I could feel my entire face heating up. She crossed her arms and smirked at me; I tried to mimic her by appearing as cool as possible. Which of course, for me, wasn't hard. …Okay, that's a lie.

"N-no, I'm doing just fine, thanks."

"All those yelps Abby heard from you just a second ago say otherwise."

I knew I was blushing harder; why did she have this effect on me?

"Uh…that was just…part of my process! Yes, my locker-opening process. I was doing quite fine until _someone _came along and interrupted me."

"Right," Abby nodded her head slowly, obviously not buying it. Hell, I wasn't even buying it.

Still, I bent over and continued my attempts to open Wallabee's locker, acting as though I knew what I was doing.

"Boy, you ain't foolin' no one." Abby walked over to me and bumped me out of the way with her hip,

"Hey!" I protested as she leaned over and inspected the dial. But I grew silent immediately and watched her with great interest.

Abby reached up underneath her hat and produced a bobby pin. She then proceeded to stick the pin into the lock and wiggle it around, much like I had done with my paper clip. I couldn't help but notice the way her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth, her chocolate brown eyes narrowed in intense concentration…

"There!"

Abby stood up triumphantly and dusted off her hands, the door to Wallabee's locker swinging open.

"But…how did you…?" I only stared in disbelief. How could her bobby pin do what my poor paper clip couldn't? And how did an honor roll student like Abigail Lincoln know how to pick a lock in a couple seconds flat…?

She simply laughed before turning to walk down the hall, presumably to her favorite spot. "Catch ya later, baby."

For once, I was speechless. Oh, what I would give for her to work with me on this case…

But, as she already stated, it wasn't going to happen. I couldn't let her get to me now, not when I had a job to do. And that job was to inspect Wallabee's locker before I got caught. I had been incredibly lucky so far that no one had come along, except for Abby.

The locker was a mess, just as I expected. Crumpled papers covered in red ink littered the bottom, while the top shelf was full of textbooks, which I assumed were untouched. Pictures of football players, wrestlers, and, surprisingly, Kuki Sanban, adorned the inside of the door. The only thing glaringly amiss with the steely innards of the locker was the spray paint markings near the bottom… Probably accidentally leaked from the cans, which, I noticed, were gone. Chances are, the principal removed them from the locker in order to keep them as evidence of the crime.

I wasn't really sure what I was looking for… Anything that didn't seem like it belonged to Wallabee I supposed.

I bent over, shuffling through the mess of papers at the bottom of the locker. Something red caught my eye – something that wasn't ink or spray paint.

Dangling it in front of my face, I examined it quizzically.

…A Rainbow Monkey keychain?

Rainbow Monkeys were like…Pokemon. Even in high school, there were still those kids who liked it and collected the merch.

But Wallabee _hated _Rainbow Monkeys. Hated them as much as Kuki loved them. Which, by the way, was a lot.

I wasn't sure why Wallabee would have a Rainbow Monkey keychain in his locker. Unless it was just a forgotten gift from Kuki…

Or maybe it was dropped by the culprit when they hastily stashed the paint cans in Wallabee's locker.

It was no longer a secret that Fanny was a _huge _Rainbow Monkey fan, even more so than Kuki. It could easily be her's… And I would never peg Herbert as one who would own anything Rainbow Monkey related, but hey, you never know.

Although maybe it belonged to someone else entirely?

Honestly, it was too soon to determine.

But at least I actually had another clue now. If this keychain wasn't Wallabee's, then it could very easily be the perpetrator's.

I then glanced at my watch, and saw my free period was going to end in a matter of minutes. I gave the contents of Wallabee's locker one final sweep before shutting it. Pocketing the keychain, I hurried back to my office.

With this new clue, I was keen to continue with my investigation. I knew there was more evidence to uncover, motives to discover, and suspects to interrogate.

And trust me when I tell you that this whole thing is only beginning…

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**Ffff chapter endings can go… *insert something vulgar here*  
And the monkey proofread this chapter again. Or maybe he didn't even at all. He's kind of lazy. **

**Anyway, I would ask you, the readers, who you suspect… But as Hoagie said, this is only the beginning. ;D I got a big chapter for you guys next, and maybe some unexpected surprises! So stayed tuned!**

**And as always, reviews are love~**

**TRO (who happens to be one of those high schoolers that still loves Pokemon)**


	7. Score

**Wow, I just realized I haven't update in nearly a year. That's absolutely terrible of me; I apologize.  
**

**I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, alerted, etc. Fourteen reviews last chapter - that's a record for this story!**

**I hope there are still people out there sticking with me… Because the mystery hasn't been solved yet!

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**

**Score**

As eager as I was to move forward with the case, school work unfortunately got in the way the rest of the week. (That, and the newest Yipper Flight Squadron video game…) Otherwise, my free period was spent in the library, researching for an English paper and my after school time was occupied…by more homework. Between all that, I barely had time to investigate my newest clue any further.

And before I knew it, it was Friday, the day of McClintock's big football game against our rival, Century High School. Now I normally wouldn't be excited for such occasions (if you hadn't guessed, sports aren't really my thing). You see, I wasn't interested in the actual game; I was interested in the fact that this would be the perfect investigation opportunity. Plenty of gossip to be overheard, and a chance to talk to Kuki about my progress, maybe even Wallabee too.

Also, I was sort of obligated to go because Bartie was drum major in marching band this year and I had to see him…conduct music during halftime.

For those reasons, I was excited for 6 o'clock to roll around and when my mom dropped me off back at school for the game. I even switched out my signature red tie for one displaying our school colors, red and yellow.

The alluring scent of grilled food hit me as soon as I entered the stadium. Believe me when I say, it took an enormous amount of willpower not to make a beeline for the concession stand and order my fill of food.

Ignoring my watering mouth, I headed for the end of the bleachers where the marching band was sitting, and where Anthony and Virginia were bound to be as well.

I walked with my head down, the brim of my hat shielding my eyes. In actuality, I was sneaking glances up at the crowd in the stands and listening intently; I spotted Lizzie yelling at Herbert, as usual, and Nigel and Rachel observing the game from the top from the stands. Other students chatted among each other, or watched the plays intently. Any one of those people could have the information I required.

Which is precisely why I kept a low profile. I couldn't have people knowing I was snooping around…

"Hey, Hoagie!" I cringed, halting my footsteps. "Over here!"

So much for a low profile…

Anthony and Virginia had spotted me, and were both waving me over. I looked up, forced a grin, and headed over to where they were seated.

One section over, the marching band was standing, getting ready to play our school's fight song. I gave Bartie, who was standing in position before the band members, a small wave and he nodded slightly in return, face stoic. I don't think I could ever keep such a serious expression…

I turned my attention to the scoreboard; McClintock was leading, six to zero. It seemed strange, not hearing the crowd shouting Wally's name, him running down the field to score a touchdown. I wondered how he must have felt…

That reminded me…

"Hey guys," I said to Virginia and Anthony, reaching into my pocket. "You guys wouldn't happen to know who this belongs to?" I pulled out the Rainbow Monkey key chain, dangling it in front of their faces.

"Nope, it's definitely not mine," Virginia said. "Rainbow Monkeys are _so _middle school." This was coming from a girl who used to love them. But unlike Kuki and Fanny, Virginia grew out of them and other "girly" things.

"I don't talk to anyone who likes Rainbow Monkeys… And I don't like them either!" Anthony said quickly.

"Don't lie, man. _Everyone _knows you read 'Rainbow Monkeys in Love' comic books." Virginia teased him, laughing all the while. I chuckled along, although truth be told, I read 'em too. But only for the Yipper advertisements, I swear!

Our casual conversation was interrupted by boos and outraged shouts from our side of the stadium – a player from Century was making his way down the field, ball in arm, preparing to score a touchdown.

And with a defeated cry from McClintock's fans and victorious cheers from Century's, he made it into the end zone.

Looking at the reactions of the crowd, I could safely conclude football was the de-evolution of humans.

McClintock's coach called a time out, prompting the cheerleaders to break into a chant. Kuki was at the lead of the pack, but I could tell her smile, her peppy demeanor, it was all a façade. Sure, she was a pinnacle of school spirit, but without number 4 to cheer for… She was taking this hard, I knew it.

And even though Wallabee was probably taking it harder, to my immense surprise, he still decided to show up at the game.

He was seated at the far end of the bleachers, away from the devoted fans and with the nerds and marching band groupies. And then I realized, that the entire time I had been working on this case (which was only about 5 days now, but still), I had yet to speak to the victim. Dumb move on my part, as the victim often has valuable information about who they believed dun it.

I contemplated going to speak to him right then; he didn't seem like he was in the mood to talk about it though, but then again, would be ever be?

I could almost guess how he was feeling. It was sort of like freshman year's science fair, when I invented this awesome potato cannon; it was shoe-in to win. Yet, the school board deemed it to be too "dangerous" for public use, and I was disqualified from the fair. You can just imagine how upset I was… I refused to listen to any of my fellow scientists as they tried to comfort me: "Man, Hoagie, your invention was _so _cool!"; "The school board is dumb, dude; they don't know good science."; "There's always next year, champ".

But I knew they were all cheering inwardly at the fact that their biggest competition had been knocked out of the fair, giving them a better chance to win.

And just then, something clicked in my mind.

Yet, once again, my thoughts were interrupted.

"Yo, Hoagie! What'd you think of Bartie and the band's performance?" Virginia looked down at me, waiting for a response, but a befuddled, "huh?" was the only thing I could muster.

In my reminiscing, I went into space cadet mode and totally missed his performance! In a half-hearted attempt to save face, I weakly mumbled a, "Yeah it was great!"

Virginia just gave me this look I couldn't read. "Right, well, Anthony and I are heading for the concession stand, want to come?"

Oh, how tempted I was to follow them, follow my taste buds which so craved a delectable chili dog. But this was the perfect opportunity to question Wallabee about the situation, when he wasn't so wrapped up in the game.

I was more torn then the time I had to choose between attending the Cleveland air show or attending the world premiere of the Yipper Squadron movie.

But my duty as a detective came before my rumbling stomach.

"Sorry guy, but I have some other business matters to attend to."

Virginia shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"See you around, detective Hoagie," Anthony added before wandering off.

As I turned to approach Wally, someone else was as well. It looked as though the cheerleaders were done with their routines as Kuki took long strides up the bleacher steps to join Wally.

I knew it would be awkward to intervene, but this seemed to be my only chance to get Wally (semi) alone.

However, Kuki ended up calling me over before I could make the first move.

"Have you made any progress?"

She seemed just as frantic as she did the day she first burst into my office. But it was a good question – _had _I actually made any progress? It was tough to say, but I didn't want to disappoint her.

"Yeah, actually, I have!" I tried not to feel guilty as Kuki's eye lit up. Yet the victim himself still seemed sulky. As soon as I said that, I did remember the _one _clue I had discovered.

I pulled out the red Rainbow Monkey key chain once again.

"Does this belong to either of you?"

Wally only glanced upwards at the monkey with disgust. Kuki, just the opposite, jumped to her feet.

"Oh my gosh, that's a first edition red Rainbow Monkey key chain! They're super hard to come by these days. Wherever did you get that?"

I gulped, recalling how exactly I came about possessing the key chain. Hopefully Wallabee would understand if I came clean…

"Actually," I said, addressing Wally, "I found it in…your locker."

The Aussie's face flushed a livid red as he rose to his feet, towering way above me. "What'd ya think you were doing in _my _locker, you little dweeb?"

"Whoa man, calm down," I said, putting my hands up in defense. I was grateful when Kuki grabbed his balled-up fist, pulling his arm back down.

"I did it to help _you_," I replied when he sat back down and his face returned to its normal pallor. "I was thinking maybe whoever framed you may have left some evidence in your locker. And since this obviously isn't a gift from girlfriend to boyfriend like I originally suspected, it must belong to the perpetrator!"

Kuki huffed. "Wally's _never _kept any of the Rainbow Monkey presents I've gotten him."

"That's because they're stupid! We're not fourth-grade children anymore Kuki, you should start acting like it."

"Right, because beating up on poor kids in the hallways is definitely mature." Kuki turned up her nose away from him, crossing her slender arms.

"Um, anyway…" I began awkwardly, unsuccessfully breaking the tension that had fallen between them. "Wallabee, do you have any suspicions of who would want to frame you at all?"

The blond shrugged. "Not really. I'm pretty sure everyone in the school likes me."

'_Or they're terrified of you.' _I thought wryly. Clearly, Wallabee wasn't aware of his _true _reputation around the school.

Regardless, I nodded and glanced out to the field. Half-time was winding down to a closer; the football team huddled around for a final victory chant.

With a good luck wished to me and not a single word to Wallabee, Kuki up and made her way back down to join her fellow cheerleaders on the sidelines.

I watched as the coach gave Patton Drilovsky, the new quarterback in Wallabee's place, an encouraging grin and rough pat on the back. The entire team did the same as they rushed out onto the field and assumed their respective positions.

I could have been on the other side of the field and still sense Wally seething, he was that upset. His eyes narrowed as he glared at Patton, who was basking in the glory.

"I remember when that used to be me," he grumbled.

As soon as he said that, an alarm went off in my head. I was immediately brought back to my train of thought from earlier. Could it be…has a new suspect appeared?

I would make sense; the motivation was clear. Patton gained everything from Wally's loss – the attention, the glory – everything he wasn't granted just by being co-captain.

…But I could just be jumping to conclusions. Patton and Wally _were _friends after all. This was something that definitely required further investigation. Post-game, perhaps.

I glanced over at Wallabee; he had retreated into his sulky, "I want to be alone" stance he had during the entire first half. I stood, and his green eyes gazed up at me, if only slightly.

"When I'm done with this case, that _will _be you back on the field."

He gave me an appreciative nod, and nothing more.

My words were heavy, but I planned to stick to them, like boogers stick to the underside of desks. (I'm pretty sure their adhesive quality surpasses that of super glue).

But before all that…it was nacho time.

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**Part 1 of 2. Please, drop me a review; I wanna hear what you guys think. Next chapter involves more Abby and more super sleuthing!**

**P.S. Everyone's been making good guesses so far, but I'm not going to spill any secrets. You gotta keep reading if you wanna find out!**


	8. Unexpected

**Long time no see! It's another year, which means another update! But seriously, I just got caught up in college and real life and had no muse for writing. I do plan to finish this story though, even if it takes a bit!**

**Thanks for bearing with me, my beautiful readers and reviewers! For your patience, you get a relatively long – and in my opinion – relatively awesome chapter.**

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**Unexpected**

Protip: Always go to the concession stand as soon as half time is over. When the second half starts, most everyone has gone back to their seats in the bleachers, leaving the line practically non-existent. Scarfing down the chili dog I ordered in an instant, I chose to savor the nachos for the remainder of the game. I slowly made my way back to the stands, taking some time to look around again.

Stopping, I peered curiously at the darkened space underneath the bleachers. Right next to the ramp leading upwards to the seating, there was a fence that separated the area beneath the bleachers from the outside world. That didn't stop delinquent students from skipping class and hiding out there, though.

As I glanced into the darkness, I thought I noticed something – or someone – moving within the shadows. A familiar flash of red…

_'Abby?'_

The closer I looked the more I could make out her figure, shrouded in shadows. What was she doing back there…?

Curiosity fully piqued, I slid my container of nachos through a gap at the bottom of the fence, checked my surroundings, and quickly scrambled over the chain link. A little too quickly, in fact, as I tumbled over the top rail into the hard gravel below.

Although I was a bit dazed, I still managed to look up and see Abby duck behind some hurdles used by the track and field team. Brushing myself off, I rose to my feet and tried to act like I _didn't _just fall off a fence.

"Something got you scared, Lincoln?"

She emerged from the nest of hurdles and looked at my through the darkness. "Hoagie, is that you?"

I was slightly taken aback by her usage of my first name, but I shook it off. "The one and only."

"Well hurry up and get away from the fence before someone sees you, fool," she hissed.

Right. I snatched my nachos off the ground and scurried over to her. She gestured for me to take a seat near her, on one of the gymnasium mats they kept stored back there.

"So this is the last place I expected to find you," I commented, crunching on a chip.

"Same to you. I thought guys like you spent Friday nights playing Yipper Card Squadron."

I ignored her avoidance of the question and her insult. "Do your research before you make assumptions, Ms. Honor Roll Student. Yipper is reserved for _Saturday _nights." It was the truth, and I was far from ashamed.

"Well excuse me for not knowing every detail of your life, Mr. Detective."

I leaned towards her, sly grin on my face. "Would you like to know?" Hoagie P. Gilligan Jr. was on his game tonight, yes he was.

Abby simply scoffed at the notion and rotated away from me, chocolate eyes turning to the bottom of the bleachers. As she looked, I noticed just how much of the goings on you could hear from down here.

"Wait, Ariel did _what _with Ren?"

"Dude, that ref totally should've carded for that!"

"Do you want a refill on soda?"

Which brought me back to my previous question – what was Abby doing down here? Eavesdropping, perhaps? I waited for her to say something, anything, but she remained silent.

"Uh… Want a nacho?" I held out the thing of nachos and she graciously grabbed a cheesy handful. Guess she really liked nachos. And not speaking.

Growing weary of the silence that hung heavy between us, I decided it was time to take the most direct approach.

"Not snooping, are we, Abigail?"

She immediately snapped her attention towheads me. "Oh, like you don't snoop all the time." She had me there. "And Abby prefers to call it helping, not snooping?"

_'Helping?'_

"Helping whom?"

"You, fool! Who else?" Abby paused for a moment before adding, "and Wallabee too, to another extent."

Her words caught me off-guard. If she wanted to actually help, why did she refuse my prior offer? Unless helping me was a recent decision. And if it was, I hope it wasn't because she thought I was doing an inadequate job… As always, I wasn't going to let my concerns show. "I know you wouldn't be able to resist my charm for long."

She actually let out a laugh. "Oh, please. Abby's decision had nothing to do with you." (She was never going to let me feel any sense of satisfaction, was she?) "This whole thing has bothered me from the get-go. Everything about it seems off and I can't find any leads as to why."

I nodded, sharing in her frustration (and also sharing my slowly dwindling nacho pile).

But that reminded me… Leads.

If she was really on my side, now would be as good of time as any to divulge the conclusion I had reached tonight.

First though, the evidence.

"Any idea who this could belong to?" I asked, pulling out the Rainbow Monkey keychain from my pocket.

Abby let out a noise of disbelief. "You think Abby would know something like that?"

"Jeez, I was just askin'. It's currently the only physical evidence I have. But beyond that, I made an interesting development tonight…"

Abby looked at me as you say, "go on". As soon as I opened my mouth though, I was cut off by a deafening noise. Above us, it sounded like a herd of elephants was stampeding by. The stands shook and dirt from underneath the bleachers rained down on our heads. Cheers were heard as the commentator announced – "And another touchdown for McClintock, courtesy of the newest star player, number 60, Patton Drilovsky!"

I stared at Abby and it looked like something clicked in her mind. Her dark eyes peered at me knowingly from beneath the brim of her hat.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That the name of your new primary suspect was just announced to the whole school?" she replied.

"Bingo! As they say, great minds think alike! And wouldn't it be such a waste if two great minds didn't get together to produce an even greater mind sometime in the future?"

Abby's icy glare chilled me to the bone. "You really want me to change my mind about helping you, don't ya?"

Okay, maybe I went a little far with that one, but could you really blame me?

"Sorry," I grumbled. "But at least you see what I'm getting at! Patton had everything to gain from Wallabee's removal from the team. And not much to lose, except for a friendship of course, but he's definitely the type of guy to take extreme measures gain command and recognition."

"So what does Mr. Detective plan to do with this revelation?" Abby crossed her legs and leaned towards me. Despite her asking, she appeared as though she already had something in mind, beyond the scope of investigating Patton. I didn't press her on it though – we had to take it one step at a time.

"Uh, well now that you said you would be willing to lend a hand…I was hoping maybe you had some ideas?" I chuckled bashfully. But did you really expect any more out of me? I mean, Patton only became a possible culprit 20 minutes ago!

"Man, you really would be lost without me," Abby commented, shaking her head sadly. I was about to refute, but she dismissed me with the raising of her hand. "Abby has a plan, but you're gonna have to listen to everything she says, okay?"

"Yes ma'am! And maybe later we could do a bit of...role reversal?"

Eyes narrowing, she hissed, "Gilligan…"

Oh c'mon, you know what they say? Five strikes and you're out? I'm pretty sure that was only my third…

Still, I straightened up and saluted her. "I'm at your beck and call, Head Detective Abigail!"

"Good. And as Head Detective, I believe I have the right to hit you whenever you say anything stupid. _A__nd _to enjoy the last of the nachos."

"Hey!"

"Shush up and c'mon!"

Begrudgingly, I watched as Abigail finished the rest of _my_ nachos before we hopped back over the fence, fortunately unseen by any bystanders. As we reached the gate to the stadium, Abby turned to me and spoke.

"Abby hopes you realize we are _not _partners, okay?"

"Oh, really?" I raised my eyebrows suggestively. "Then are you saying we're something more?"

She laughed in my face. Hard. Pretty sure it wasn't the first time this night she had done that. It didn't at all put a damper on my spirits though. I had a lead on the case _and _I was working with a gorgeous girl. I was absoltively posolutely okay with the way things were looking.

From behind us, the stadium erupted into boisterous cheer.

I took it that we won, which meant much celebration by our team. And most likely, Patton skyrocketing to popularity. He had never truly experienced it before, due to Wallabee's ever-looming shadow (how such a little guy had such a big presence I would never understand). Perhaps, in his glee, the football player would spill a secret or two.

"We're here."

Abby's whispered words snapped me out of my reverie. We were standing a slight distance away from the entrance to the boy's locker room. In all honesty, I hadn't thought about my (or should I say 'our'?) next plan of action, but she did say she had everything under control.

"So…I guess I could just hide out in one of the bathroom stalls," I suggested, shrugging. "Unless you have another idea."

"Actually, Abby does." She grabbed my wrist and dragged me around the corner of the locker room. While the brick wall of the school stretched on, we were prevented from heading any further. A fence and a thick line of trees stood as a barrier. What could be back here that could help us, to be blunt, eavesdrop?

Abby answered as though she could hear my thoughts. She pointed upwards and I followed her finger with my eyes. Was that…a vent?

A grate was embedded in the bricks not too far above my head.

"Uh, Abby, I know you're skinny and all, but I don't think you could fit through that…"

"I know that, dummy," she quipped. "But you can hear nearly everything that goes on in the locker room through this vent. There's less of a chance of being caught this way."

I gave her a weird look. "Do I want to know how you know this?"

Glaring at me, she folded her arms. "If you want Abby's help, you _do not _question her."

I raised my hands defensively. "I got it, sheesh."

"Now in order to hear anything clearly, we're going to need to get really close to the vent," she told me. "You think you got the muscles to support me on your shoulders?"

I pretended to flex my non-existent biceps. "You got one free ticket to the gun show, baby."

She rolled her eyes and I laughed heartily. My laughter quickly ceased when, out of the blue, Abby gripped my arm tightly and yanked me closer to the wall.

"I hear them coming," she said in a hushed voice. "Try to stay hidden."

When I listened closer, I could indeed hear the raucous voices of the football team, their cleats stomping loudly against the dirt and concrete. As we waited, I absently started to think back to Anthony, Virginia, and Bartie. I never technically said goodbye to them. Hopefully they would know better than to wait up for me…

Finally the voices were just around the corner and the door to the boy's locker room was pushed open.

I ducked into a crouch and gestured to Abby. "All aboard!" I felt her grasp my shoulders firmly before wrapping her legs around my neck. My face began to heat up as I realized our close proximity, but I brushed it off. Using the wall for support, I shakily stood up, holding Abby's ankles close to my chest.

"All right, we're at the perfect height," she informed me. "You okay down there?"

I swallowed, hard. It wasn't that she was heavy, but my attention was slipping away. Do you honestly think _you _could focus on a task at hand if you had a beautiful girl on your shoulders? "Um, yeah. I'm just fine."

It wasn't long before I heard voices filtering through the vent; from my vantage point, the noises were muffled and indiscernible, but Abby seemed to be able to understand them loud and clear.

"They say anything important yet?"

"Nope, just general post-game stuff."

I quickly realized what an inconvenience it was that I couldn't personally listen to their conversations. I had to rely on Abby to accurately relay information to me. Good thing she had proven herself to be capable.

"…What about now?" I believed my impatience was justified.

"Well Abby won't be able to hear anything if you don't shut up."

I sighed, but knew she was right. So I waited.

"Hold up," Abby whispered. "I think I hear Patton." Her legs tensed around me and I felt sweat beading on my forehead. Hearing the noises, indistinguishable, was torture.

"I just heard him say…" Abby's quiet voice was urgent. "That he's glad he got _him _out of the way."

"What!" I couldn't help myself. Exclaiming loudly, I stumbled backward, away from the wall. Abby swayed dangerously on my shoulders.

"Whoa, man!"

I managed to regain my balance and stepped forward, where as Abby seemed to hug to the wall dearly.

"Watch yourself, boy!" she scolded.

"I'm sorry!" I squeaked. "But that could have been a confession!"

"It _might _have, and I could have heard more if you hadn't have freaked out!"

Crap, she was right. Again. Who knows what we messed up because of my blunder?

"Oh man, we gotta go," Abby suddenly said.

"Wait, why?"

"They heard _us _through the vent! It works both ways you know." She scrambled off my shoulders and turned to the woods to hide.

But I had turned the other way, about to bolt. If Patton had caught us snooping, he would be incredibly suspicious. Investigation would have been made difficult if he knew someone might be on to him.

"Hoagie, no!" I heard the words from Abby's mouth, but they didn't register.

I had already begun running in the direction of the locker room door. If you hadn't noticed already, I don't generally think when I'm in a panic. But once I reached the area outside the door, I realized there was nowhere to hide. And whoever was coming to investigate the source of our racket was bound to be there any second.

I then noticed light, speedy footsteps behind me – Abby perhaps?

But when I turned to look, the locker room door was opening, light spilling out into the darkness. And then –

"Hey, who's out here?"

The words sounded distant and jumbled like…like wow, I couldn't even think of a clever comparison for the situation. Because the only thing that registered in my brain at that moment were lips.

Abby's lips.

On mine.

As soon as the door opened, I felt a warm hand on my wrist which yanked me towards its body. Before I knew anything else, Abby had pulled me into a full on kiss.

My chapped lips moved awkwardly against hers and my arms were frozen at my sides.

"Gross, get a room, nerds!"

Once again, I wasn't sure if that voice was real or imagined. Hell, I didn't even know if those sweet cherry lips I was tasting were just a figment of my overactive teenage male imagination either.

But it all ended as quickly as it started. Abby pulled away from me and the cold space between us felt _very _real. It could have just been my delusional brain, but Abby – the coolest girl at school Abigail Lincoln – was blushing a red as deep as her trademark hat.

I could only gap dumbly, much like a fish very much out of water.

"Don't say anything."

She was in luck - I really couldn't. It was like someone took my ability to speak, crumpled it up, and tossed it out the window of a fast moving vehicle. I was only vaguely aware of a very stupid sounding, "durr", escaping my wide open mouth.

"It was just a fake-out make out, okay!" Abby blurted suddenly. "Abby thought it would be less suspicious than the two of running away!"

I only nodded, half-comprehending her words.

"Look. I see you're clearly in no condition to discuss this right now." She thrust a piece of paper into my sweaty palm. "Abby's number. Call her sometime this weekend, and we'll talk."

"Okay, Abby." I realized I was drawing out the last consonant for too long and promptly shut my mouth. I was convinced someone had sloshed soda all over the hardwiring of my brain, causing it to short circuit. Honestly, I was utterly incapable of doing anything else. But I mean, Abigail Lincoln had kissed me. Me!

And the fact that I suddenly gained huge ground on my case wasn't helping me to think straight. I needed a day to calm down. Or two. Or even a whole week!

Yeah, I'll get back to you when I can function again.

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**I never thought I would reference both Footloose and Danny Phantom in a KND fanfiction but it happened.**

**Hope you enjoyed that chapter! It was a blast to write… actually my primary motivation for writing this fic was for this moment. I thought…I really want to write hoagie investigating a mystery and Abby gets involved and they end up kissing in a weird situation.**

**BAM**

**Uh. next chapter coming soon?**


	9. Review

**Right kids, it's time for a recap. We're a lil more than halfway through and because I'm crap at updating, you might need a lil refresher! We all know Hoagie could use one after the events of the football game…**

**Oh and thanks to the few of you that still reviewed last chapter despite the long wait!**

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**Review**

I'm pretty sure I didn't regain the function of my mental faculties until sometime Sunday afternoon. In the morning, I drudged through all the homework I neglected on Saturday before gathering the courage to call Abigail.

The thought of the kiss we shared buzzed around in my mind like an incessant fly plagued rotting meat… Except a lot less gross. And a lot more awesome.

Even now, Sunday evening, as I sat before my case file that was just begging to be filled, her lips were the only thing I could think about. But I realized now would be as good of a time as any with the newfound information from Abby to properly collect the facts.

Opening the manila folder, I simply stared at the blank pages. Still didn't have a clever name, but I supposed it could wait. Instead, I started with the basics.

**Case Assigned by: **Kuki Sanban

** Victim: **Wallabee Beetles

** Crime: **Vandalism

** Pertinent Details: **'Wally wuz here' in red spray paint across the back wall of school. Believed to be framed.

** Evidence Against Victim: **Name, obviously. Also, the empty spray paint cans found in his locker (planted?)

According to Kuki though, Wallabee was, without a doubt, framed. …He never provided me with an alibi, I realized with a start. I only hoped he had a good once next time we interacted. I know he was at the football game Friday night, but that still left Saturday wide open.

Although I honestly believed he was innocent. This is why I began to hunt down potential suspects, with motives.

**Suspects:**

** 1. Herbert Hawking – **Lizzie Devine's current boyfriend; frequent victim of Wallabee's bullying. No particular evidence points to him, but no alibi either.

** 2.** **Fanny Fulbright – **Hall monitor from Hell. Has a crush on Wallabee (confirmed by dropping a photograph of him and word of mouth from Virginia). Been rejected numerous times. Rainbow monkey keychain possibly hers (her obsession is not much of a secret). Requires further investigation.

** 3.** **Patton Drilvosky – **Football player; Wallabee's (ex?) friend. Is now team captain. Evidence against includes…

I stopped writing, recalling the conversation I had with Abby over the phone, not too many hours prior…

_My shaky hands gripped the cell phone a little too tightly as I carefully dialed the number smudged on the paper before me. I was lucky I could still read it after clutching it in my sweaty palm like it was my life-line._

_ The phone rang once, twice, three times…_

_ "Hello?"_

_ The device nearly slipped out of my hand._

_ "Abby?" I said hesitantly. "It's me, Hoagie."_

_ "Boy, I've been waiting for your call all weekend!"_

_ "Uh, sorry. I was a bit…" I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Preoccupied."_

'Yeah, preoccupied thinking about you.'

_ "Well whatever, we're talking now. You ready for the full report of what I heard?"_

_ I nodded, but remembered she couldn't see me, so I sputtered out a quick, "yeah"._

_ "All right, listen up. When they first entered the locker room, it was your typical post game congratulatory talk. The only thing noteworthy was _all _the praise Patton was receiving. I'm sure his ego grew past the size of his chin."_

_ I snickered. "Because Patton has a pretty prominent chin!"_

_ "Thanks for explaining the joke," she replied dryly. "Anyway, I didn't hear anything for a bit after that. I assumed they had hit the showers. When they returned though… The first person I heard was Patton. He said, and Abby quotes, 'I'm so glad I got him out of the way!' A teammate of his replied something along the lines of, 'It was a smart move, Patton – risky, but smart.' And that's when I told you, prompting you to have your little freak out."_

_ "Sorry again." I scratched the back of my head. "I get excited easily."_

_ "I noticed," she said. "By the time we were stabilized, I heard one of the guys say he heard a commotion outside and was going to go check it out._

_ "And that's when…" Cue my face heating up like the oven when my mom bakes meatloaf._

_ "That's when we ran, yes." Abby's last words came out a little too quickly. I ignored it, and continued with the conversation._

_ "So it's likely he was talking about framing Wally."_

_ She made a noise in affirmation. "But we really don't know for sure." _

_Contemplatively, I rubbed my chin. "I have an idea though…"_

_ "Abby's listening."_

_ "I thought you didn't want to help out anymore," I snarked._

_ "You're really testing my patience, Gilligan. Keep that up, and I won't."_

_ I had no need to get snippy, so I apologized. Especially after she helped out so much yesterday. When I thought about it, what would I have done without her?_

_ "Sometime tomorrow," I said, "I'm going to talk to all my suspects. But not just talk. Interrogate. Pull out any evidence I have against them, demand alibis, grill them until they crack. Because really, at this point, what else can I do?" This was the plan I had been mulling over for some time now._

_ "Do you really think you can get them to cooperate?" Abby asked skepticism apparent in her voice._

_ "Don't you have any faith in me, Abigail? Like you, I have a few tricks up my sleeves."_

_ "If you say so. Best of luck, Mr. Detective. Keep Abby updated."_

_ "Will do. See ya, Ms. Honor Roll."_

_ I hastily pressed the end call button on my phone before collapsing back into my bed. Once again, I had so much to go over…_

And so, after replaying the scene in my mind, I copied down everything I learned about Patton into my notes.

'Had plenty to gain from Wally's team suspension. Least suspicious because grudge is not obvious. Outright locker room confession (?).'

Satisfied, at least for now, I closed up the folder and grabbed three index cards, just small enough to squeeze through the cracks of my suspect's respective lockers. One for Herbert, one for Fanny, and one for Patton, each with a message that would practically guarantee their presence in my office sometime Monday.

I glanced at the clock on my desk. It was nearing 10pm and I was mentally exhausted. Being a detective was a lot of work, let me tell you.

Now let's see if I can get some shut-eye, _without _thinking of Abby's kiss. …And oops, there goes my mind again…

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**Like I said, recap! And setting up the next phase of the operation… We're about to reach a huge turning point in the case, so stay tuned!**

**And please, leave a review!**


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